Agenda item

The update was noted.

Officers apologised that they were unable to provide a full report in time for the meeting as requested by the chair due to time constraints but confirmed that there will be a full report going to the next meeting covering the waste strategy.

Members were reminded that the Waste Strategy Action Plan as approved in April 2023, included Measure 11 - to conduct formal consultation on moving to three weekly collections of non-recyclable waste with the existing three-bag (140 litre wheely bin) limit, alongside continuing with weekly collections of recyclable waste including, food, paper, and card as well as plastic, metals and household batteries and glass. The consultation to explore the way forward with green waste and nappy collection frequencies.

Officers advised that consultation on three weekly collections is programmed to start week commencing 6th of May and run for six weeks and a briefing note is being prepared to be sent out to all members as per the original report. Any proposals further to the consultation would be bought back to Members for decision.

The Chair thanked officers for the update and understood the difficulties in providing the report at short notice and welcomed the opportunity to look at the detail of all the measures that were included in the waste strategy in the next meeting.

Members raised concerns regarding how it would impact Aberavon and Baglan Moors as the area is struggling with fly tipping and extra bin waste that needs to be addressed first.

Members stated that public engagement is often low with consultations and that there are people who don’t use the internet who won’t be able to respond. Members also raised concerns that even if there is poor feedback that the authority will still go ahead anyway.

The Chair asked the cabinet member for Streetscene if he wanted to comment on the current cabinet policy position as the Chair felt that there been some confusion from different statements from members of the cabinet on this policy.

The Cabinet member for Streetscene advised at this stage the recommendation is an officer's recommendation and is not a cabinet recommendation. At such time that it comes before the cabinet then the cabinet will make a decision. The cabinet member advised that the cabinet are very keen to make sure that a consultation is undertaken widely across the county Borough.

The Chair noted that a decision hasn't been made on whether to implement three weekly bin collections, but a decision has been made by the cabinet board to consider and move forward towards that, as part of the waste strategy. The Chair stated that he wished to make it clear that it is not just an officer proposal, it has had the endorsement of the cabinet board.

The Director of Environment clarified that the cabinet member is correct that the cabinet have endorsed the need to go out to consultation and that there has been an endorsement of the recommendation as part of a wider suite of recommendations within the waste strategy and action plan. The Director advised that it is only to go out to consultation, and it is important for the authority to gauge the opinion of the public based on information in relation to how officers are going to deliver the waste service going forward as opposed to just saying they are going to collect waste every three weeks, which is not the case.

Officers stated the need to put a proposal in front of the public to indicate that if the authority needs to exceed the 70% recycling target and the other measures are not enabling that, then additional means of doing it need to be looked at. As a council, they need to go out to consultations to get feedback from the public that can inform any future proposals taken forward as a council.

The Chair stated that it has been very helpful to have that clarification today from officers and a cabinet member in terms of what that current position is.

Members asked if consultation for the three weekly collections goes ahead would it be a different strategy for purple bags and black bags because nappies and sanitary pads etc not being collected for 3 weeks will be horrendous for residents.

Members asked for clarity that this is a recycling target exercise and nothing to do with the budget as social media posts have confused people the three-week collection was all part of this year's budget proposal.

Officers reiterated that a briefing note for all members will be sent out and the configuration that will go out to consultation will be based on moving to three weekly collections of non-recyclable waste with the existing three bag 140 litre wheely bin limit, alongside continuing with weekly collections of recyclable waste. That will all be set out in the briefing note that will come to all members before the consultation starts.

The report was noted.